The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has announced a funding opportunity for small projects to improve access to disaster medicine and public health information for health care professionals, first responders, and others who play a role in health-related disaster preparedness, response and recovery. The solicitation notice can be found on FedBizOpps.gov. Contract awards will be offered for a minimum of $15,000 to a maximum of $30,000 each for a one-year project. The proposal submission deadline is Thursday, June 19, 2014, at 5:00 PM EDT. Visit NLM’s Disaster Information Management Research Center web site for additional information and instructions about the “Disaster Health Information Outreach and Collaboration Project 2014.”

NLM is seeking proposals from partnerships in the U.S. that include at least one library and at least one organization that has disaster-related responsibilities, such as health departments, public safety departments, emergency management departments, pre-hospital and emergency medical services, fire/rescue, or other local, regional, or state agencies with disaster health responsibilities; hospitals; faith-based and voluntary organizations active in disaster; and others. NLM encourages submission of innovative proposals that enhance mutually beneficial collaboration among libraries and disaster-related agencies. For example, projects may increase awareness of health information resources, demonstrate how libraries and librarians can assist planners and responders with disaster-related information needs, show ways in which disaster workers can educate librarians about disaster management, and/or include collaboration among partners in developing information resources that support planning and response to public health emergencies. Summaries of previous years’ funded projects are available for viewing.

An open information session about this funding opportunity will be held on Thursday, May 8, at 10:30 am PDT, during the next monthly Disaster Information Specialist webinar via Adobe Connect, to learn about this opportunity and ask questions about the solicitation and its requirements. A member of the NLM Contracts and Acquisition team will be on the call to address questions. All questions and responses will be posted following the meeting on FedBizOpps.